Smooth Sailing

July 4, 2018

July 4, 2018

Two and a half weeks flew by, and I spent most of that time practicing for the regatta with Véro. Slowly but surely, we were getting better, and as the first regatta race approached, we were bolting across the lake, both of our reflexes working like lightning. I wasn't sure whether it was enough to win, but I knew that we would both do our best during the regatta. Hopefully, it would be enough.

The first race was still eleven days away, or at least that was what I told myself when I woke up on the Fourth of July. Véro and I still had enough time to prepare for the regatta. However, Véro texted me that morning at around ten o'clock. "Are we still sailing this morning?" she asked. "I've been waiting by the pier, and I can't find you."

That was when I realized that Véro probably didn't know that it was a holiday. Then again, she did have the right idea. We needed all of the practice that we could get, and nobody else would be out on the lake. It would be a great opportunity to practice maneuvering the boat around the lake. "I'll be out there in a few minutes," I texted her.

"Great, I'll see you then," Véro replied.

I put my phone down and got ready to leave. Then, I told Mom and Dad that I was going sailing. "You've been sailing a lot lately," Dad said. "Couldn't you take a day off?"

"Phil, let her have her fun," Mom said.

"Fine," Dad said. "Have fun, Sylvie."

"Thanks, Mom and Dad," I said.

I headed outside, and I found Véro sitting on the pier with her toes in the water, waiting for me. "Hi, Sylvie," Véro said. "Are you ready to sail?"

"Definitely," I said. The two of us set up the boat, and when we were ready, Véro and I set sail.

"Where are we going today, Captain Sylvie?" Véro asked.

I laughed and said, "I don't know. Is there anywhere particular that you'd like to go?"

"I don't know," Véro said.

"Ramadan's over now, right?" I said.

"It ended two and a half weeks ago," Véro said.

The last two weeks had gone by even faster than I had thought. "I can't keep track of time," I said. "Why don't we go to Culver's then?"

"That would be fun," Véro said as she took the tiller and steered toward Culver's.

"You have to get their frozen custard," I said. "It's amazing."

"I'll try that," Véro said. The boat flew across the water until we arrived at the restaurant. However, when we climbed out of the boat, I saw that there was a sign on the door. "What does it say?" Véro asked.

"You can read it yourself," I said.

"I always read very slowly in English," Véro said.

"Well, your spoken English has gotten a lot better," I said.

"Thank you," Véro said.

"Anyways, it says that Culver's is closed today for Independence Day," I said.

"I forgot that your Independence Day was today," Véro said.

"Don't worry about it," I said. "We'll come again another day."

"Okay, Sylvie," Véro said. We headed back to the boat, and sailed away from shore. When we reached the middle of the lake, I decided to stop for a few minutes. "What are you doing?" Véro asked.